Overview
- On Sunday, October 18, President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he gave his “full and total” support to Benjamin Netanyahu for the October 27 parliamentary election.
- Netanyahu thanked Trump on X and the Likud party immediately amplified the endorsement with a campaign video drawing on their personal partnership.
- Trump framed the endorsement around the joint campaign against Iran and said a different Israeli leader could force the United States to carry out strikes alone.
- The move follows months in which Trump publicly avoided endorsing Netanyahu and reporting described striking tensions between the two over wartime decisions and ceasefire talks.
- Analysts say the endorsement’s practical effect is unclear because polls show a close, polarized contest and Israeli officials who support Netanyahu argue the backing matters for military cooperation and coalition math.